The Portland daily press., 1887-07-02
BIon BRADBURY.


in this city at 4.45 o'clock yesterday after
noon after brief confinement to the house,
although his health had been failing, the re-
suit Of paralytic shock received sometime
ago.
Mr.. Bradbury's father, jeremiah, was a
native of Saco He commenced the practice
Of law in Biddeford but afterwards removed
to South Berwick, and was appointed by
President Madison, collector of the port of
York which place:he held until 1920, when
he removed to Alfred and was appointed
Clerk of Courts. He held that Office twenty
Years and then removed to Calais, where he
resided until his death in 1S4s. Mr.. Brad
bury's mother, Mary Langdon, was the
daughter of Captain Seth Storer of Saco,
and granddaughter Of Mrs. John Storer of
Wells, who was sister of Gov. Langdon Of
New Hampshire, one of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence. Mr.. Bradbu-
ry's paternal grandfather was a captain in
the Revolution.
Bion Bradbury was born in Biddeford,
December 9th, 1911. He received his acade-
mic education at Gorham and South Berwick
academies. and graduated at Bowdoin Col
lege ia 1880. For the year 1881 he was pre-
ceptor of Alfred academy. He commenced
the study of law at Alfred with Hon. DAN
iel Goodenow, and completed his legal stud
les with Hon. William Pitt Preble of Port
land. He was admitted to the Bar at Alfred
in May, 1884. In July he commenced prac-
tice at Calais, and soon after formed part
nership with Hon. Arson G. Chandler which
continued until 1888, when Mr.. Chandler
was appointed to the bench. In 1912 he was
a member of the State Legislature from Cal
ais and served on important committees.
He was appointed Collector of Customs at
Eastportin 1874, and reappointed success
lively by Presidents Polk and Pierce. He
was member of the State Legislature from
Eastport in 1919 and 1850, member of the
National Democratic Convention held at
Cincinnati in 1856, and at Charleston and
Baltimore in 1860. He was Democratic can
didate for Congress from the Sixth District
in 1858, and defeated by bare majority. In
1862 he was elected to the Legislature from
Eastport as War Democrat by unanimous
vote of both parties, and in 1862 and 1868 was
thelDemoeratic candidateIfor Governor. After
that time Mr.. Bradbury, who had moved to
Portland in 1864, practiced his profession.
He entered into partnership with Hon. l.. ID.
M. Sweat, under the firm name of Bradbury
& Sweat When that partnership was dis
solved, Col. Bradbury. hissson, had returned
from the war, and father and son formed a
partnership under the firm name of Brad
bury & Bradbury, which was continued I'M
til Mr.. Bradbury's death. In 1876 Mr.. Brad
bury was elected presidentIof the Cumberland
Bar Association and served in that capacity
until 1880, when he declined reelection.
When the Cumberland Club was first organ
lied Mr.. Bradbury was elected its first presi-
dent, and filed the Office for several years.
When Mr.. Cleveland was elected to the pres
idency Mr.. Bradbury was appointed Survey
or of the Port, and held the Office at his
death.
For years Mr.. Bradbury was a leading
member of the bar of Washington county,
bar of unusual ability. 1t was composed of
such men as George Munroe Chase,-a won
derful man-George Barnes, Arson G. Chan
dler, Otis L. Bridges, Daniel T.. and Joseph
Granger, Thomas j. ID. Fuller, Fred A. and
Charles E. Pike, Charles r. Whldden, James
S. Cooper, Manley B. Townsend, Aaron Hay
den, Joshua A. Farrell, and others. all of
whom, except Charles E. Pike, have, like
Mr.. Bradbury, joined the majority.
AS jury lawyer Mr.. Bradbury had no SUI
perior, and was also considered one of our
best commercial lawyers In politics he was
Democrat, and as adr0it political leader
in his day as Washington county afford
ed, and no county had more adroit ones. His
politeness, urbanity, and fine personal ap-
pearance, won him hosts of friends. 1t is
doubtful if he ever had an enemy. He was
a devoted follower of Jackson and Van Bu-
rem as against Calhoun and his State right
theories. He was an ardent admirer Of
Stephen A. Douglas and stoutly maintained
Douglass disastrous candidacy in 1860. Like
him, Mr.. Bradbury became war Democrat,
and eloquently argued for the coercion of tn
rebel States. He made memorable Contest
for Congress in the old Sixth District in 1885,
1t was the hottest contest ever waged in New
England. Both sides exerted themselves to
the utmost, and Mr. Bradbury was defeated
by only few hundred votes. He ran again
In 1860 and was defeated by the late Hon. +. A.
Pike. If Mr.. Bradbury had joined the Re
publican party the highest honors would
have been his. Wherever he went he was
recognized as man of power. The Democ-
racy of Maine have not had an ADLER leader
than he during 1.-THE past thirty three years.
Mr.. Bradbury married Alice, daughter of
johnson Williams, of Brooklyn, N. Y, who
died in 1885. He has five children living,
Mary Langdon, widow of the late Charles C.
Webb, Col. Albert W., Alice, wife of Hon.
c. F. Libby, Bion, Jr., and Marcia Dow,
wife of Edward &c. Jordan.
The funeral will take place at p. m. to-
morrow from the First Parish church.